


Three Little Words

by ShirleyAnn66



Category: Bones
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Pre-Booth/Brennan, Spoilers for The Boneless Bride in the River and The Killer in the Concrete I, an old old old old fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2018-09-13
Packaged: 2019-07-04 16:28:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15845049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShirleyAnn66/pseuds/ShirleyAnn66
Summary: Brennan sails away with Sully until three little words bring her home.





	Three Little Words

**Author's Note:**

> **Warnings:** Alternate Universe.  Spoilers for The Boneless Bride in the River and The Killer in the Concrete although I think you have to squint (no pun intended) to find them.   This takes place between and during  these two episodes.
> 
> **Disclaimer/Claimer:** I do not own nor am I affiliated with Bones or Fox or any of the other PTB in relation to the show...although I wouldn't mind playing with Booth for awhile...No infringement is intended. I'm just taking the characters out to play, and will do my best to show them a very, VERY good time. ;)
> 
> **A/N1:**   Unbeta'd; all mistakes are mine.

 

Until he stood on the dock and watched her sail away, he'd honestly thought she'd change her mind. Even as he helped her find a tenant for her apartment, even as he helped her pack, even as he helped her move her stuff into storage – he'd been sure she'd stay.

So he didn't speak the words that had been clamoring in his head, didn't say please don't go or don't leave me or stay with me, and when he stood on the dock and watched her sail away with Sully, he cursed himself for being a coward and a fool.

The days that followed were endless, slowly, torturously sliding into weeks before she called for the first time. By then, he'd had a heart-to-heart with Gordon Gordon, had gained perspective and sweet absolution from the squints – nobody blamed him; nobody believed he had driven her away; this was simply something she needed to do at this point in her life. When she finally called, three weeks after she'd left, he'd been able to be the friend she needed and bite back the words he longed to say.

As the days passed, as he worked on case after case with replacement after replacement, as the ache left by her absence grew worse, as the frequency of the calls gradually increased, it became harder and harder to keep the words he wanted to say locked behind his teeth. Gordon Gordon had said she needed this experience, and more than anything else, he wanted her to be happy, even if she was far too far away from him.

Still, he listened to what she didn't say, tried to determine if she was happy or if the novelty of a completely directionless life had begun to wear thin. During every call he wondered what he could say to bring her back; fantasized about finding the absolutely right thing that would have her on a plane in hours -  
  
Please come home.  
  
We miss you.  
  
I need you.  
  
I love you.  
  
Each time he held back; each time he promised himself next time – next time, he'd find the magic words to bring her home.

In the end it wasn't anything he said that brought her back. It was Angela's choked and tear-filled voice:  
  
“Booth is missing.”

######

**Author's Note:**

>  **A/N2** \- When I watched season 2 for the first time (I came late to the Bones fandom), I was struck by the fact that the PTB missed an excellent opportunity for character/relationship growth by having Brennan choose to stay in Washington instead of sailing away with Sully.  This little piece has ranged from a couple of sentences to a virtual re-write of the two episodes noted in the warnings.  This is what I finally came up with.  :)  


End file.
